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The Near Future: aller + Infinitive

FoundationHigherAQA

Practise The Near Future: aller + Infinitive for GCSE French with this free worksheet and full mark scheme — Foundation and Higher exam-style practice with worked answers for AQA GCSE French (8652). Aller plus an infinitive expresses what is going to happen, as in je vais partir.

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These worksheets and mark schemes are original, written for Virtus Academy and checked against the current AQA specification. Every worksheet comes with a full mark scheme.

Foundation

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Higher

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Topic overview

The near future says what is going to happen, and it is by far the simplest way to talk about the future in French.

It uses the present tense of aller followed by an infinitive. Je vais manger means I am going to eat. Nous allons partir means we are going to leave. Only aller changes for the subject — the second verb always stays in the infinitive.

In the negative, ne and pas surround aller only, leaving the infinitive outside: je ne vais pas manger. And no preposition comes between the two verbs — je vais à manger is wrong. Because it needs only one irregular verb, the near future is often the safer choice in speaking tasks.

Revision notes

The structure

Present tense of aller, then an infinitive.

Je vais manger, tu vas partir, il va venir, nous allons sortir, vous allez arriver, ils vont rester. Only aller changes; the infinitive never does.

In the negative

Ne and pas surround aller only.

Je ne vais pas manger. The infinitive stays outside the negative, after pas. Je ne vais manger pas is wrong.

No preposition

Nothing comes between aller and the infinitive.

Je vais manger, never je vais à manger. This makes the structure straightforward once aller is known, which is why it is often the safer choice under pressure.

Key points

  • The near future uses aller plus an infinitive.
  • It says what is going to happen.
  • Only aller changes for the subject.
  • The second verb stays in the infinitive.
  • Ne and pas surround aller only.
  • No preposition comes between the verbs.

Worked examples

Example 1

Translate: I am going to eat. [2 marks]

Working

Je vais mangeruse the present of aller with the infinitive
Manger stays in the infinitive and no preposition is addedexplain the structure

Example 2

Make this negative: Je vais sortir. [2 marks]

Working

Je ne vais pas sortirplace ne and pas around aller
The infinitive sortir stays outside the negativeexplain the position

Example 3

Give the nous form of the near future of partir. [2 marks]

Working

nous allons partiruse the nous form of aller
Partir remains unchanged in the infinitiveexplain the infinitive

Common mistakes

  • Adding a preposition between the verbs.

    Je vais manger, not je vais à manger.

  • Changing the second verb.

    It always stays in the infinitive.

  • Putting pas after the infinitive.

    Ne and pas surround aller only.

  • Using the future tense of aller.

    The near future uses the present tense of aller.

Exam tips

  • Use the present tense of aller.
  • Keep the second verb in the infinitive.
  • Place ne and pas around aller.
  • Choose this structure when unsure of future endings.

Key terms

Near future
Aller plus an infinitive, meaning going to.
Aller
The verb to go, used as the auxiliary here.
Infinitive
The unchanged second verb.
Auxiliary
The verb that changes for the subject.

Related topics

Written and reviewed against the current AQA specification. Spotted an error? Let us know.